Sister Bear
by Uudam
Summary: Elsa sails with her parents to Iceland for Dragonfire, which might get rid of her powers. A storm at sea leaves her orphaned, stranded and alone with a fierce polar bear. It becomes a sort of sister when, out of loneliness, Elsa names it Anna. Both far away from home, together they endure the survival journey of a lifetime. Very Elsa-centric.
1. Voyage

**The cover image for "Sister Bear" is a color edit I made by putting together Jin Kim's Elsa concept art and Hbruton's polar bear sketch on dA.**

* * *

**Sister Bear (1)  
****Voyage**

Elsa dreamed again.

Leaving behind her 18 year old physical body tucked in bed, in her dream world she was 8 again and playing in the snow with Anna. They built a snowman together, like always. They hardly ever played around without Olaf. After they found a carrot nose for the snowman, Elsa and Anna had a snowball fight.

"That's no fair!" Little Anna giggled. "You can make lots of snow!"

Elsa ducked and weaved from Anna's throws. She hid from sight, attempting to surprise her little sister. She crawled around the snow fort they had made earlier. Elsa popped up from a mound of fresh snow. "Boo!" she cried.

Anna squealed with laughter and tried to crawl away.

"Too slow!" Elsa hurled the snowball. To her horror she aimed too high. Anna cried out as it hit her square in the face. She tumbled back onto the hard, icy floor.

"Oh no! Anna!" Elsa rushed over, only to find her sister turning white. There was nothing she could do to stop the ice. Soon Anna was stiff and lifeless, a cold corpse. She had killed her little sister.

Elsa woke up with a terrified scream. She shivered and panted, though she had only been in bed the whole time. She sat up, clutching the blanket tight in her fist and rubbing away her tears with a sleeve. The entire bedroom was covered with a noticeable sheen of frost, an involuntary expression of her fear. Her father and mother, the King and Queen of Arendelle, burst into her room with frantic concern.

"Elsa, what's wrong?" her mother asked. "Are you all right?"

"Always the same," Elsa whispered. "It's always the same. Happy dreams ending in nightmares...I keep dreaming of hurting Anna."

Tears quickly welled in her eyes again. The King put an arm around his eldest daughter and drew her close. "There, now..." he murmured in a soothing voice. "It wasn't real. Anna is safe and sound asleep in her room."

Elsa sniffed. "I...I didn't wake her up, did I?"

"No, dear. Everything is fine...now go back to sleep."

Her parents kissed her goodnight and quietly left her room. Elsa laid back and tried to sleep, but found it futile. All those years ago, she had been so close to killing Anna, accident or not. Her father's fascination with folklore and legends had paid off; the royal family got help from the mountain trolls before it was too late to save Anna. Elsa remembered the old troll saying how her powers were beautiful, but could also be very dangerous. She could only remember the latter. That's why she could never see Anna again. Elsa hated being separated from her sister. But it was because of her love for Anna that she had to close the door on her every time. Years have passed, and Anna still didn't understand why they couldn't see each other.

After minutes of tossing and turning in her bed, Elsa kicked back the covers and moved to her study desk.

That was what she did to cope with her fears and loneliness: read. It was all she could do when spending her days cooped up in her room, hidden away from the outside world. Books were her portals to that outside world. Her favorite was called _Animals of the Cold: The Collective Mythology and Biology_: a tome of real-life and mythical creatures that lived among the ice and snow. From Tibetan tales of Yetis and Inuit stories of orcas to eyewitness accounts of wolves and polar bears, Elsa felt like these animals were her only friends in her sad, lonely world.

"You like living in the cold," Elsa whispered to the pictures. "But people are afraid of you. If they could see what I could do, they would be afraid of me too. Sometimes I wonder if I'm meant to run in the wild...alone and free, so I wouldn't hurt anybody." Then she sighed. "But I can't. I am the crown princess of Arendelle, with responsibilities to fulfill. I must hide my powers from everyone, including Anna, no matter what."

Elsa nodded off to sleep after reading about the polar bears. She slumped in her chair, the book still spread over her lap. No nightmares came to her this time. Instead she dreamed of bears standing tall and strong like kings of the ice. They bared their teeth and roared. Fierce, fearless, and uncaring of the world. Elsa imagined herself as one of them, being the queen of her own ice kingdom.

Her voice joined with the bears' roars. "Here I stand, and here I stay. Let the storm rage on!"

But the storm wouldn't last. Her dreams of ice and the cold ended when morning sunlight streamed through her window. Elsa covered her yawn and stretched her legs. The book slipped out of her lap and fell with a heavy _thump_. Startled and fully awake, she quickly put it back on her desk. She scrambled to get ready for the day. Outside her window she watched 15 year old Anna play with her pony on the green field. Her little sister smiled and laughed, blissfully unaware of Elsa's struggle and isolation inside.

'It's better this way,' Elsa thought sadly as she got dressed. 'I'd rather she doesn't know than getting hurt again.' She studied herself in the mirror once she finished dressing. Honestly, she saw little point in taking the time to look nice and presentable when she hardly left her room anyway. Such was the dual life of a soon-to-be queen and a wielder of ice magic.

When it was almost noon, the King and Queen entered their daughter's room.

"Elsa, come have lunch with us," her father said. "We have a very important matter to discuss."

She followed them out of her room, both pleasantly surprised and curious. It had been a while since she dined with her parents. She also wondered what they could be talking about with her. With Anna playing outside, the rest of the royal family didn't have to worry about walking in the castle halls with Elsa exposed. In the monarchs' office, and over a lunch of tea, flat bread and smoked lamb, Elsa heard what her parents had to say.

"Elsa..." her mother began. "10 years had passed since you and Anna were forced to live separate lives. Your father and I are sorry that we've been putting you through this. It's time that we end it."

Her father stopped eating and he gazed at Elsa. "I'm sure you've heard of Iceland from geography class with your tutor."

She nodded. A large island cut off from the rest of Europe by leagues of water, yet still heavily influenced by Viking culture and heritage like her own country.

"What about it?" she asked.

The King continued. "I've heard all sorts of stories, from books and sailors alike. The volcanoes of Iceland have been said to possess potent magic. The fire that dwells within burns so full and bright with life...that they had been used in the past to lift the worst blizzards. Some Icelanders believe that volcanoes are tombs of fallen dragons, some dormant over centuries and some active from the dragons' lingering wrath. That wrath from active volcanoes...they call it Dragonfire."

Elsa bit her lip. "What are you saying, Father?"

The King and Queen of Arendelle exchanged a glance. Then her mother replied softly, "We believe that if we expose a little bit of this Dragonfire to you, it might purge you of your icy powers."

Elsa stifled a gasp. She looked down and stared past her half-finished plate. How was she supposed to feel? Elated? Devastated? She rejoiced at getting rid of the one thing keeping her from being a normal daughter, sister, princess...everything. At the same time she was frightened of never using her powers ever again. It was all or nothing.

"So...this means we have to go to Iceland," she finally said.

The King nodded. "We've already made preparations for the voyage. We just wanted to let you know before the day comes to set sail. Until then, we'd like you get ready as well."

"Yes, Father. I'll start packing my things today." Elsa returned to her room after finishing lunch. She barely packed anything; despite being born into a wealthy royal family, she never felt too attached to material possessions. Nor did she need many coats to keep her warm. Days passed by, and with each day Elsa anxiously waited for the time she would have to leave Arendelle. She still couldn't believe that there was actually a way for her to be free of her powers. It had been a part of her since the day she was born; it would be like removing a part of herself if her family made it to Iceland and Dragonfire really existed. But that was a risk and a sacrifice she was willing to make...for the sake of her kingdom and family.

When the day of voyage finally arrived, Elsa watched sadly from her window as her parents embraced Anna. 'When I come back from this voyage, I'll be able to hug them too. I'll be able to feel their warm embrace without hurting them.'

After a few minutes, the King and Queen came into Elsa's room and beckoned her to come out.

"It's safe to leave now," the King whispered. "We explained everything to your sister."

"Everything?"

The King smiled apologetically at Elsa's hopeful face. "Well, not quite. We still can't tell her about your powers, or our trip overseas to find the cure."

"We just told her that we have an important business trip," the Queen said. "And that we're taking you along to prepare for your future as queen."

"Oh. All right." Part of Elsa wished her parents had told Anna the whole truth. But she knew this was for the best. It was still dark out when the royal family slipped quietly outside of the castle. The King and Queen shivered from the chilly morning air and tugged at their fur coats, but Elsa didn't mind the cold. It was a part of her, after all.

Elsa could easily see their ship docked at the port. Iceland was a long distance away, so their ship had to be big and strong enough to safely cross the sea. Wearing a blue hooded coat over her dress, Elsa kept her head low as her family approached the ship and its crew. Though the men her father had hand-picked were well aware why they went on this journey, she didn't want to draw too much attention. When the sun began to peek from the horizon and morning started proper, the captain signaled for the ship's departure.

Elsa had never been away from Arendelle before. As the ship sailed from the port she kept turning to look back. It might just be her last time seeing the castle. She wished she had the chance to bid farewell to her little sister. "Goodbye, Anna..." she whispered. "When I return, I won't have to shut you out anymore. We could be real sisters again." Elsa tried not to cry. "We could build a snowman again."

The King put a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. "All right, Elsa...Be a good girl and go inside."

She followed her parents into the cabin reserved for the royal family. Despite her first time ever traveling overseas, Elsa wasn't seasick as she had feared. The ship sailed smoothly over the waves, with a pleasant wind pushing the sails along. She was told to stay in her cabin at all times; her parents would bring her food, and when it was time for bed she'd share the room with them. To avoid being bored, Elsa had packed up a few books to read. But as days passed by, she could only read the same things for so long. Whenever her parents left her alone in the cabin, she would make little bursts of ice and snow to entertain herself. She felt as sneaky and guilty as a child stealing cookies from a jar. Elsa would quickly go back to reading as soon as she heard her parents return.

At night, Elsa would stare at the glowing lantern swaying overhead, imagining that it was Dragonfire that would finally make her a normal girl. "Father?" she whispered.

The King, half-asleep, stirred beside her. "Yes, dear?"

"Does Dragonfire really exist? What if we made this journey all for nothing?"

He touched her chin with his fingers. "I'd do anything for you and Anna. Even if the Dragonfire was all the way in China I'd still take the risk. You've spent all these years trying to conceal and not feel. Now you have to believe in me and your mother. A little faith goes a long way."

Elsa smiled at her father's loving reassurance. "Okay...I'll try to believe."

With each subsequent day of more boredom, Elsa consoled herself with the hope that kept her spirits up. She was sure that Anna had the same hope of her family returning to Arendelle after a successful voyage. One day, her parents entered the cabin looking quite concerned.

"I just talked with the captain," the King said. "He says there's a storm coming our way. We better stay inside."

Elsa's heart sunk. She knew she had to be good and obedient. But frankly she was getting tired of staying in the cabin all the time. The young princess yearned to see the open sky and waters. All she could do was nod at her father and return to reading about trolls and dragons for the umpteenth time. That night, Elsa felt the whole ship rock to and fro. She heard the storm roar and rage overhead. She snuggled firmly between her parents, all three of them swathed in fur blankets and coats. Closing her eyes and trying to sleep only made the storm seem all the more louder and violent. It drowned out Elsa's groan of frustration. She glanced at her mother and father, and inched ever so quietly out of the blankets. With hands on the walls she crept to the door of the cabin. She climbed onto the deck clutching the rails, almost blown away by the buffeting wind and ocean spray.

Elsa looked around and saw no one else on deck. 'The crew must've hunkered down too,' she thought. 'It's just me up here.'

The realization made her spirit soar. Alone and liberated, Elsa felt immersed in the storm and marveled at its power raging all around her. She knew she was a downright fool to be in the middle of a storm. She just didn't care at the moment. Anyone else would've been overwhelmed by fear or guilt and went straight back inside. Elsa remained on the deck, enjoying the mixed torrent of rain and seawater. Flashes of lightning briefly illuminated the tumultuous waters. She stared in awe at the sheer size of the crests. Her stomach dropped as the ship dipped through the troughs of the waves, then bucked up at the crests.

"Let the storm rage on," she said to herself.

And it did. The storm showed no signs of stopping. Eventually fear replaced her excitement. The ship fell under the merciless grip of the sea and wind alike. She heard panicked shouts of crewmen as they burst out of their cabins.

She had to shout to be heard. "What's going on?"

The captain was about to run past Elsa when he whirled around, utterly startled at the sight of her.

"What are you doing out here, Princess?" he roared. "Get inside right now! We're being thrown off course! My men and I have to secure the ship."

"We've been hit!" the lookout shouted from above. "Huge hole in the hull!"

The captain swore. "Get the King and Queen out of their cabin! Hurry!"

Elsa gasped. "Mother, Father!"

She ran after the men sent to reach the royal family. As they wrenched open the door, seawater surged out to knock them flat. Elsa cried out as it swept over her. The ship dipped, sending her flying across the deck. A burly crewman caught her before her body went over the rail. "Get to a lifeboat!" he shouted at her. "Royalty first. Save yourself, Princess!"

She struggled and cried out in protest as he carried her with one arm. "I'm not leaving my parents behind!" she cried. He ignored her pleas and bodily slung her into the nearest lifeboat.

Elsa clung on for dear life as the boat swayed like a pendulum meters above the water. Darkness and rainwater obscured her vision. Crashing waves and booming thunder assaulted her ears. She couldn't see or hear any of the crewmen as they desperately struggled to save the ship. The sea rapidly overwhelmed the ship like a terrible, hungry beast. The vessel groaned like a dying animal as its deck got flooded and the masts strained under the buffeting wind.

Suddenly a deafening crack split the air. Elsa looked up and gasped in horror. It wasn't thunder. One of the masts gave way. Splinters of wood flew everywhere as the mast tipped and fell into her direction.

"_No!_" she cried.

Her hands flew up out of instinct to defend herself. And out of instinct, ice flew from her hands to counter the impact. The ropes tethering the lifeboat to the ship snapped. She fell. Elsa screamed in pain as the boat hitting the water in turn slammed into her back. The force made her fly from the boat and into the water. Cold, icy wetness enveloped her. She gulped in some seawater as she tried to gasp for air. Eyes wide open and heart thundering in her chest, Elsa felt nothing but confusion and fear.

Then, in an awful, surreal moment, she stopped struggling when she saw the entire ship submerged underwater.

Elsa saw, but couldn't comprehend. The ship sank lower and lower, into the dark depths below. Somehow she found the strength and will to keep moving. She kicked as hard as she could, fighting to reach the surface. She broke out of the water with an explosive gasp. Her arms flailed, desperate to get a hold of anything other than seawater. Her right hand struck something hard. Wood. By some miracle, the lifeboat hadn't drifted away from her reach when she flew overboard. Ignoring the pain of the hand she might've broken, Elsa scrambled to climb onto the lifeboat. The heaving waves actually helped her by carrying her body up and then in. Her soaked dress pulled her down like dead weight, yet she gritted her teeth and fought to stay inside the boat. She slipped into unconsciousness. It seemed no different than the darkness all around her.

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Dried salt from the water had almost sealed her eyes shut. Elsa had to struggle to blink her eyes open.

'Am I dead...?' she dully wondered.

Her body ached all over. The afterlife wasn't supposed to hurt this much. Somehow, she must be alive. She laid flat on her back, feeling herself dip up and down along with the water. A painful groan escaped her as she forced herself to sit up. For a moment she couldn't remember what had happened. Then she doubled over and whimpered. Her head seemed to split at the torrent of memories rushing in.

'The storm. The sinking ship. It was no nightmare...it really happened.'

Elsa looked down at herself. Her dress was utterly soaked and ruined. Her hair had been tousled from the howling wind and stormy waters; now her braid hung limply and heavily over her left shoulder. To her immense relief, she still had her gloves on. She needed them to keep her powers in check. Her right hand and wrist, numb from the cold, still throbbed with pain. She pulled off her glove and pressed at it gingerly, biting back a wince and feeling for any broken bones. She could still move her fingers. To her relief she concluded she just sprained her wrist. Spots of livid bruises already began to appear on her pale white skin. She slipped her hand back into the glove to cover her wound.

Then Elsa looked around. All around her the sea was eerily calm and quiet. Three other lifeboats floated nearby. One was turned over. That was all she could see as evidence of the shipwreck last night. The rest sank below the waves. Still, hope fluttered in her chest.

'Maybe they escaped somehow. Maybe they're just lying unconscious in a boat and I have to wake them up.'

Elsa cupped both hands around her mouth and shouted, "Mother, Father, are you there? It's me, Elsa! I'm on a boat. Please, answer me."

She called and called until her throat grew hoarse. There was only silence. Finally, she gave in to the terrible reality as she collapsed and sobbed. The King and Queen of Arendelle, along with the crew, had perished that night. Only she survived. Her disobedience had saved her life. Had she stayed in the cabin with her parents, she would've drowned with them too.

"Mother, Father...I'm so sorry. I don't know what to feel. I don't know if I should be grateful I'm alive, or wishing I had went down with you."

She grieved for the crew too, the captain and all those men whose names she had not and will never know. After what seemed like hours, Elsa couldn't shed any more tears, though her shoulders still heaved and her heart ached.

'I can't keep crying forever. The sea has enough salt water. Mother and Father would tell me to be strong and look for a way out of this.' Much as it utterly pained her, she steeled herself and turned away from where the ship had sunk.

Looking down at the lifeboat she sat in, Elsa felt it was time she got better acquainted with what she had..._all_ that she had, now that she lost practically everything but a kingdom she'd someday inherit and a little sister who never really knew her, both so impossibly far away.

Elsa found a pair of long oars strapped together at the bottom of the boat. She hauled it upright, quickly getting her fingers sore from undoing the ropes. A princess would have no knowledge of sailor knots. Out of frustration, she grabbed a knife and hacked away at the ropes. She looked back and saw a large white tarp covering the end of the boat. She strained to pull the tarp away and rummaged through to see what she could find. She found a long and hefty whaling spear, a set of skinning knives, a whale bone whistle, rations of dried biscuits and venison, a bundled up fishing net and some sealskin coats. Elsa hung the whistle around her neck and frowned as she got a feel of how heavy the harpoon felt in her hands.

'I have no idea how to use much of these tools, but I'll keep them anyway. They might prove useful later.'

As soon as she pulled open the sack, just a whiff of the rations inside reminded her how ravenously hungry she was. Peeling off strips of dried meat, she took her time gnawing on it, getting as much flavor out as she can and savoring the taste while it lasted. To swallow down all the saltiness in her mouth, she took bites of biscuit. Surrounded by nothing but deep blue water and a clear sky above, it was as if the storm never happened at all. It came and it went, taking away her mother and father in one night. Elsa felt mocked by the beautiful weather, as if the world moved on and never stopped to take pity on the orphaned and stranded princess of Arendelle. She felt so small, so insignificant. The winter sun couldn't warm the emptiness of her heart.

Suddenly something caught her eye. Elsa straightened from her slouched sitting position and squinted. At first she took it as the sunlight's reflection on the water, white and blinding. But it moved steadily closer by the second.

Elsa couldn't believe her eyes. It was a polar bear.

'The smell of dried meat must've attracted it.'

The bear kept its small black eyes trained on the boat. Sea mist flared from its nostrils as the bear snorted and grunted.

Elsa didn't know how far away from Arendelle she was. She could only make a wild guess that she was stranded somewhere between Iceland and Norway, in the middle of nowhere. But she knew for certain that polar bears never reached this far south. They usually kept to the sea ice all the way up at the Arctic circle. Unless that sea ice broke up and drifted for miles away, or food was scarce...Whatever the cause, Elsa knew this bear was far from home.

She bit her lip with unease. 'I wonder if they eat people.' Then, as she took pity on the bear floundering aimlessly in the water, she thought of something even more unsettling: 'At this rate, with nothing else around, the bear could get tired and drown. I could let it into the boat.'

She quickly stopped herself. She wasn't taking any chances. Only a complete fool would think of bringing such a dangerous animal onboard. She didn't even know if the boat could support the bear's hefty weight. The bear was so close she could hear its dogged pawstrokes in the water. She heard its claws scraping on the wood. She gasped in alarm as the bear poked its head and huge paws at the boat's rail, tipping the whole thing ever so slightly. Elsa seized the harpoon and pointed it at the bear.

"_No!_ Get away!" she shouted.

The bear growled at her, curling its black lips back to bare long and sharp yellowed teeth. But it looked too tired to heave itself onto the boat and tear her to pieces. Elsa thought she'd never live to see a polar bear up close. She looked into its beady black eyes, and beyond the surface of animal instinct she saw loneliness and fatigue within. There was doubt and fear beneath that fearsome strength.

'This polar bear is just like me...'

Elsa closed her eyes, thinking for a long time. What should she do? Chase it away and leave it to die like a monster, or take it in as a friend? Then she slowly turned the whaling spear so that she offered the blunt end to the bear. "Well? Do you want to get on or not?" she demanded.

The polar bear stared dully at the spear inches from its face, suspicious and unable to understand.

'It came because of the food. Then I'll persuade it with some.'

Elsa fished out a chunky piece of venison from the sack she had opened. With thin rope she hastily tethered the meat to the end of the harpoon. She extended the weapon again. Only then did the polar bear snap its jaws shut on the spear, just as she predicted. Elsa pulled on the harpoon, gritted her teeth and leaned back as far as she could, using herself as leverage for the bear. There was no way in the world her strength alone could pull up the bear. Thankfully it made an effort to climb on, saving Elsa from the danger of breaking her back. Her eyes grew wide with fear and alarm as the boat began to tip from the bear's weight.

Her powers responded to her fear. Thick sheets of ice formed underneath her feet, weighing down Elsa's side of the boat as the bear clumsily climbed aboard. When the bear had all four paws in the boat, it finally let go of the harpoon. Elsa yelped as she fell back and nearly flipped headfirst over the rail. She clutched at the wood, wide-eyed and out of breath. Then she blew out a gusty sigh of relief, the ice dwindling as her fear faded away as well.

She finally got a good look at the polar bear now that situated itself on the boat. It was just so _big_. With seawater slicking its yellow-white fur flat, Elsa could only imagine how enormous it must be when its fur dried. Its paws, broad, flat and tipped with long claws, could break her bones in a single swipe. Its teeth looked just as deadly. The polar bear grunted as it sat down on its big haunches and finished the meat. It ruffled its wet fur, splashing drops of water all over Elsa. Her hands flew up to shield herself despite the fact she couldn't get any wetter.

'Okay...now what?' she thought, feeling completely lost.

Her parents were gone, and so was her one chance to get rid of her powers. She would probably never see her home or her little sister either. Elsa looked up at the sky, so blue and vast as the sea beneath her. Then she looked to the bear, shaking her head in disbelief at herself.

"God and St. Olaf protect me," she breathed. "I'm stuck at sea with a polar bear. I saved its life...but have I doomed myself?"

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**I hope you've enjoyed this so far. I welcome any comments and feedback!**


	2. Walking On Water

**Sister Bear (2)  
****Walking On Water**

Elsa wasn't sure who felt more like the cornered animal: her or the bear.

Good thing that it took much more interest in sleeping than starting a fight. It must've been in the water and dead tired for a long time; it slept soundly and didn't stir as Elsa moved around in the boat. With practically nothing to do, Elsa felt like time stretched on to an unbearable length. She'd quickly get tired of sitting in one place, and she lost count of how many times she stood up and stretched.

Fortunately the waters were still and tranquil, so she didn't get seasick nor did she risk falling overboard from choppy waves. Being bored was by far the least of her worries. She needed to survive and stay on her toes. Eventually, she took advantage of the bear's prolonged inactivity by trying to get the boat moving with the oars.

With their combined weight and her complete lack of rowing experience, Elsa highly doubted she alone would get them anywhere. Then she came up with an idea. Taking off her gloves, she gripped the oars and made them longer with extensions of ice emanating from her hands. It was still very tedious, but she managed to get some control of the boat. She at least tried to row closer to the nearby lifeboats. Fortunately they contained the same supplies. Elsa didn't think she needed more harpoons, and certainly not more oars, but she took all the rations and compiled them in her storage.

'I wonder how long these can last,' she mused.

After getting the supplies, Elsa saw little need to use the oars anymore. She had no idea how far she was from land, or how many oar strokes it would take to get there. She wasn't going to strain her body for such a futile task.

The princess whirled around when the bear stirred awake with a loud, groggy groan.

She in turn stirred with mixed unease and dismay. Satisfied with proper rest, the polar bear would want food next. Elsa took up the harpoon in place of the oars, ready to defend herself. She always had it beside her, like a faithful companion. She climbed onto the tarp, trying to get higher ground over the bear. Its dark eyes followed her suspiciously.

Elsa quickly came to regret bringing it on board. "I'm such an idiot," she kept muttering to herself. "I. Am. Such. An idiot."

This was likely the bear's first time ever encountering a human, and it didn't seem to like her scent at all. Its nostrils flared with distaste. It curled back its fleshy black lips and growled through its teeth. Luckily Elsa had the harpoon to keep the bear at bay. The whaling spear was long and heavy, meant for weathered, brawny seamen and not for young princesses. Her arms tired quickly, but she didn't dare lower the weapon down. She kept it poised and stretched outward, preventing the bear from inching closer. From then on, she would never allow herself a moment to sit down and rest, even if her legs trembled from exhaustion. The moment she showed submission, the bear would lunge and maul her in an instant. Elsa was dead tired, but fear and wariness kept her wide awake.

'It smells my fear. I must reek of it.' She then remembered her father's words. 'Conceal, don't feel. Don't let it show.'

When the bear growled, she put up a brave face and make a threatening jab with the harpoon. Usually it would lower its head and take a pawstep back. She kept in mind to avoid provoking the bear too much, otherwise it would rise on two legs and send the boat tipping over.

'I must make it submissive, not enraged. Otherwise I'd send both of us to our deaths.'

While the bear kept her on edge, at least she wasn't bored anymore. She studied the animal carefully, taking note of its reactions, movement and body language. She definitely saw a deadly beauty in the way it behaved. Despite being studious and reading extensively, Elsa still knew little of polar bears in particular. She wished she could discern the exact age of the bear in front of her. Judging from the ratio of white to yellowed fur, and its somewhat soft round muzzle, Elsa could only guess that it wasn't quite full-grown yet. She remembered reading that polar bears turned more yellow as they matured. Only a faint sheen of light yellow lined its back and muzzle. 'It couldn't be that old,' she thought. The bear wasn't a cub...probably still young, but no less dangerous. As for its gender, Elsa would have to guess that too. She certainly wasn't going to step closer and find out for certain. Male or female, a defensive lash from the bear's paw could seriously give her a world of hurt, if not death.

Elsa still remained on guard even as night fell. It was so dark that all she could see was the dim glow of the bear's white fur and the mist of her own breath. The polar bear shuffled back and forth within the limits of its confined space, clearly agitated from a lack of adequate food and enough room on the boat. A rumbling growl rolled deep in its throat.

Elsa would throw pieces of meat at it on occasion, but she needed to save some for herself. Worse still, eventually the bear wasn't satisfied with the measly portions. Well into the night, the polar bear broke the tense silence by turning to Elsa with a loud, throaty growl. She stiffened and gripped the harpoon tighter.

"I know you're hungry," she said irritably. "You prefer seals, right? If there was any around here, I'd get them for you."

The polar bear didn't understand, let alone appreciate, her sentiment. It seemed to scowl at her, wanting meat in its jaws instead of empty words in its ears. All it knew was its growing insatiable appetite, and its fiery need to satisfy it. The bear seemed to wonder if the strange and furless two-legged being sharing the boat might just quench that desire. Elsa didn't like the way it eyed her so intensely.

She had no way to tell time, except for tracking the sun's position and brightness in the sky. The days were long, but nights were even longer. Unable to settle down and rest, Elsa felt like the nights would never end. New hope would stir and flutter in her chest as the sun broke through the horizon, but the feeling was painfully ephemeral. She lived to see another day, but how much longer could she do that?

'I can't stay here,' she realized. 'A wild animal's hunger has no limit. It's only a matter of time before I become the food.'

Elsa stared into the water, wishing she wasn't restricted to ice-based magic. What she would give to be able to move water and use that power to part the sea, just like the Red Sea in biblical lore. She wished for some way out.

'What would Anna do...?' Elsa wondered. Remembering her little sister made her heart ache. She felt the tug of tears at the back of her eyes. 'She'd stay positive and look for a solution, no matter what.'

Then Elsa remembered all those times playing with Anna, when she created ice rinks with a simple step of her foot. She wondered if she could try that now, over the wild and untamed seas.

'It's just me out here...I don't have to hide or hold anything back.' The thought both thrilled and frightened her.

Gripping the prow of the lifeboat, Elsa stood up and slowly slipped a leg forward.

'Here it goes...'

She gasped in surprise. Ice blossomed from under the sole of her foot as soon as it touched the water. She put a little more force into her step. In turn the ice thickened and solidified. Seeing this, she made up her mind. Elsa briefly withdrew to grab the whaling spear and sling a pack of rations over her back, only taking the bare necessities for the long journey ahead. She fully stepped out of the boat, the ice underneath keeping her upright over the sea.

Elsa looked back at the polar bear. It had made no move or response as she stepped out. It stared at her through apathetic black eyes, as if Elsa being in or out of the boat made no difference.

"Stay on there if you want," she said softly. "At least you have a place to rest on. Maybe it'll drift you back to the north. I'm going ahead to look for _my_ home."

Elsa paused to think. 'I've been at the same sinking site for maybe a day or two. To find Arendelle, I just need to go in the opposite direction of where the ship was heading.' That was easier said than done. Elsa couldn't remember which was the way to Iceland in the first place. She looked around and saw nothing but water for miles and miles in every direction. The sheer vastness of the sea made her resolve waver a bit. She clenched her jaw. 'Trust your instinct,' she told herself. 'Pick a direction you think is best and stick with it. Don't turn back.'

The Queen often joked with her eldest daughter about the potency of womanly intuition. Thinking of that made Elsa miss her mother dearly. She almost reeled back from the heartache. For a moment she squeezed her eyes shut to suppress the feeling.

Elsa looked down and frowned. Her dress was a soaked, tattered mess.

'There's no way I'll walk and reach shore looking like this.'

Tapping into her ice powers once more, Elsa closed her eyes and tried to envision lighter and looser attire, spun by her own ice crystals rather than strings of fabric. She tried to remember what the crewmen wore, hoping she could wear her own version of their attire. It had to be light yet durable so she could withstand the wind and sea. She looked down again and made a little delighted gasp. Her long-sleeve shirt and pants, light-blue and glittering under the sun, felt good on her.

'It's a good look too,' she proudly told herself.

Brimming with newfound confidence, Elsa took a deep breath and began walking. She started out slow and steady. She felt the confidence in her abilities grow with each step. She broke into a run, feeling like she could fly over the water. She marveled at the way her own powers paved the way for her. For the first time in forever, she felt no shame and only rejoiced in what she could do. The untapped power that she was capable of.

As she went on, the trail of ice quickly got lost amid the fog. She furrowed her brow in confusion. The sky had been clear when she first set out. Where did this mist come from? Elsa still plowed ahead, determined to stick with 1 direction. Soon the mist grew so thick that when she looked down she could barely see her own feet, let alone the water. The thin sound of forming ice reassured her. She took smooth and even paces, trying to conserve energy and take it like a nice walk despite the overwhelming loneliness.

She didn't know how much time passed as she kept walking and walking. Elsa tried to sing a few songs to herself. She sang everything from her parents' old lullabies to bits of Old Norse she hardly remembered.

Soft and thin as a whisper, the notes quickly grew lost amid the fog pressing all around her. Hearing only her voice after a while made her even lonelier. Elsa drew both arms tighter around herself. Using the moisture from the air, she conjured a ball of snow and put it in her mouth to suck on. She didn't have to worry about a lack of fresh water. Still, sucking on slowly melting snow paled in comparison to the refreshing sensation of drinking water. She ate sparingly, only when she felt a pang of hunger. The whaling spear made a light, rhythmatic tap on the ice as she used it like a hiking stick.

A startling thought struck her, and she nearly stopped in surprise. Elsa couldn't believe it. She actually missed having the polar bear around. Speaking of the bear, she had been hearing its faint roars for a while now. She wondered what it could be doing back in the boat. Part of her felt bad for abandoning the bear, but at least it had a place to stay.

After what seemed like hours, she started to get tired. Her legs began to feel like lead. Even with food and water, it didn't stop her from feeling fatigue. To her alarm, the ice underneath her grew thinner.

An unsettling thought crossed her mind: did the amount of energy she had affected how much ice she could create? It made sense. She just wished the epiphany didn't occur to her in the middle of the sea.

Elsa clenched her jaw as despair and panic took hold of her. 'At this rate, I'm never going to find land. I'll run out of energy and drown. I need to get back to the boat.'

With a heavy heart, she turned around and headed back. The bear's faint roars guided her, bolstering her hope and will to move on.

'That's it, bear. Keep calling.'

Finally she caught sight of the boat. Elsa almost slapped a hand to her face. She had been walking around in circles! She never really got anywhere through this dense fog. Her face flushed as she felt both immensely relieved and foolish.

More of her energy seeped away with each step. She had to reach the boat before fatigue, and soon the water, took hold of her. To avoid breaking the thin ice, Elsa hefted the harpoon to let it rest on her shoulder. The muscles in her arm screamed in protest. She gritted her teeth to ignore the pain.

The ice grew weaker and weaker until it sank under her weight, and Elsa slogged through seawater that swelled and lapped at her thighs. Her heart hammered in her chest.

'Come on...just a bit farther!'

Elsa unshouldered her pack and tossed it along with the harpoon into the boat. Then, in a last, desperate burst of energy, she lunged forward.

Her arms caught the rail. She clung on for dear life as the boat gently rose and dipped with the waves.

Elsa peeked her head over the rail, and couldn't help but smile sheepishly at the polar bear. "Hi, I'm back."

It gave a great snort, but made no move to attack her. It merely sat and watched as Elsa struggled to haul herself back on board. Her legs kicked madly under the water as she pushed down on the rail with her arms. She gasped in relief as she leaned against the wood with her stomach, tipping her upper body over to safety.

Elsa collapsed unceremoniously onto the boat and rolled on her back, lying spread-eagled and completely exhausted. Her chest heaved up and down as she struggled to catch her breath. Already she felt her strength returning as her weary legs had a chance to be still and rest. Had the boat been farther away, the sea would have claimed her so she would join her mother and father in the dark, ice-cold depths.

With a pang of alarm, she realized that the bear could've attacked her right then and there. Weak, soaked and vulnerable, she practically offered herself as viable prey. But the bear stayed right where it was at the far end of the boat.

"Did you miss me? Is that why you've been calling?" she weakly asked. It was an intriguing thought. Did the bear miss her just as she missed it? Elsa shook her head. That was just a delusion in her mind, an attempt to make the bear seem more human. Still, whether it knew or not, the bear saved her life.

As she rose to sit up, Elsa nearly slipped on something underfoot. She looked down in surprise. Half-eaten fish? No wonder why the bear didn't attack. It had been busy satisfying its own hunger.

She made a wry laugh. "Looks like _you_ made some progress, bear. Better than I did." Elsa gingerly pushed some fish away with her foot so she had a place to sit down. "I'll stick to my dried meat and biscuits, thank you very much." Though she said that, Elsa knew she couldn't live on rations forever. She didn't look forward to the day she would have to join the bear in eating raw fish.

Elsa noticed that close to her was a shredded fish with pieces scattered about. With 2 fingers she picked up a small pink morsel. Feeling unusually daring, and maybe crazy, she brought it to the tip of her tongue. Immediately she pulled a face and spat. She popped in a chunk of biscuit to rid herself of the cold, slimy taste. She drew both legs up to her chest, resting her chin on her knees. Her bleary eyes stared down the path where she had come from, still making its mark on the water with floating bits of ice.

'Looks like I'm really stuck here. How long will this go on until I perish?'

Elsa looked to the bear. It was still dangerous, yes. But she surprised herself by feeling relieved she was with the bear again. They were in this together by the forces of nature and fate. Whether they will live or die by those same forces in the end, she didn't know. She blinked hard as she tried not to cry.

"I think we're going to be out here for a long time," she whispered to the bear. "Just you and me...like sisters. Or sister and brother. I don't know if you're a boy or a girl. But I can't keep calling you 'bear' forever. You need a name." Tears ran down and froze on her cheeks, feeling her heart wrench with the pain of loneliness and a desire to reach out to this wild animal. "I will call you...Anna."

The polar bear replied with a satisfied chuffing sound. Elsa didn't know whether it was from savoring the fish or liking its new name. She liked to think it was the latter.

She made a small, sad smile. "Anna, it is..."


	3. Her Kingdom

**Sister Bear (3)**  
**Her Kingdom**

Finally. The one thing (among many) she had been dreading for days. Elsa completely ran out of rations. She kept staring at the empty sacks, unwilling to accept it for a fact. Even the smallest crumbs were already gone. Despite doing her best to only eat small, measured amounts when necessary, she knew she would run out eventually. She just wished that reality didn't have to hit her so hard. Her days of eating dried meat and bread were over.

Her mind spun and reeled as she began to panic. 'This can't be happening. What am I going to do now?'

Elsa closed her eyes and tried to take deep, even breaths. She ignored the pang in her gut. 'Calm down. Think straight. Panicking isn't going to get me anywhere.' Her eyes made a quick, wry sweep across the boat. 'Well...even if I didn't, I still wouldn't get anywhere.'

Pride had kept her from stooping to the level of stealing from Anna. So Elsa tried her hand at spearfishing. She waited and waited until she sighted a shoal of fish swimming under their boat. Anna made no attempt to go fishing, since it already had food of its own. The bear, with all its solid heavy weight, kept the boat from tipping as Elsa stood over the rail, her spear poised to catch potential food. Fish moved slowly in cold water, she reasoned. She knew enough common sense not to make herself, striking blond hair, pale face and all, visible to the fish below. Maybe it wasn't going to be so bad. She might actually catch something.

But the young princess of Arendelle quickly proved herself wrong. Her aim was much too slow and uncoordinated to spear even a single fish. They saw the spear coming long before they heard it. Even with gloves on, gripping and jabbing with the harpoon for a long period of time gave her terrible blisters. Elsa spent more time nursing her wounds than concentrating on catching her own food. She winced as she rolled her sore shoulder for what seemed like the hundredth time. Her arm burned incessantly, and the cold air wasn't enough to soothe that burn. Nor did it quell her mounting frustration.

"Come on," she groaned. "Just _one_ fish."

Her fatigue only made her jabs even sloppier. Loud splashes erupted every time the tip of the harpoon would hit the water. The fish scattered, darting out of reach either by breadth or depth. Finally Elsa gave up.

_"Shit!"_ she hissed through her teeth.

Utterly alone, she feared no reproach or scolding for that very rare moment of vented profanity. She flung the whaling spear away from her. Away from Anna, of course. Elsa would be making a death wish to take her anger out on an animal much bigger and stronger than her.

Her cheeks flushed with mixed exhaustion and humiliation. 'I guess I'll have to settle for what Anna has, then.'

By the time she finally made the decision to snatch a few of Anna's catches...the polar bear already finished them all.

She gaped in mixed disbelief and anger at the empty boat. "Are you serious?" she asked aloud.

Anna looked up at her inquiry, but only for a second before it returned to licking its paws.

Elsa couldn't believe her horrible luck. She cursed herself for being such a prideful, spoiled idiot. She would have to wait until the fish came back, or Anna got hungry again.

Elsa felt her stomach sink into further despair. And hunger. 'It would be a long time before either of that will ever happen...'

Knowing polar bears, they ate a great amount in 1 sitting and could go on for days before the next meal. Elsa knew that wouldn't be the case for her.

'I should have planned ahead,' she chastised herself. 'When I still had rations, I could've practiced spearfishing. Then I could be prepared by the time rations were out.'

Anna curled up against the boat's prow, pressing its belly and haunches together until it looked like a giant white ball of fur. It placed a wide paw against its nose, its black eyes squinting shut.

Elsa sighed and leaned her back against the rail. 'Great. Anna's sleeping it off. Would I be alive by the time it wakes up again?'

Elsa was beginning to feel sleepy herself. She curled up at her own end of the boat, keeping the harpoon close to her in case Anna attacked. But she didn't think that would be likely. The bear was no longer cranky with hunger, and it appeared to be drifting into a deep sleep.

'I wonder how Anna's doing back at Arendelle...I hope she's safe and has everything she needs.' Hungry and alone, Elsa's mind spiralled into thoughts of longing for family and home. 'It's been several days since the ship sank. Did Arendelle, or even Iceland, get news of it?' Her heart almost stopped. 'What if they think I'm dead? What if Anna thinks she's left all alone now?' Her little sister, so sunny and cheerful, gripped by grief and depression upon hearing tragic news...Elsa couldn't bear to think of it. As she closed her eyes to sleep, tears welled and ran down her cheeks.

'I wish I could tell her that I'm all right. At least, I hope I'll be all right once I get something to eat.' Elsa's sore shoulders shook as she began to sob quietly. 'Anna, I love you so much...I hope you know that. I'm sorry I've shut you out all these years. You will understand someday. I hope you can find it in your heart that I'm still alive. Please pray for me...pray that I can live through this and get home to you soon. I'm all you have left...'

Despite her hunger, Elsa slowly eased into sleep, with childhood memories of playing with her sister to soothe her pain. They were fun and happy times, when Elsa had her whole family and didn't have to worry about sharing a boat with a polar bear and catching her own food. She wanted to keep on sleeping, to stay in a world where she could build Olaf and play dolls with her little sister. But deep down, in the bottom of her heart and at the back of her mind, she knew she'd have to wake up sooner or later. Wake up or perish...

* * *

Loud grunting, and the scraping of claws against wood, stirred Elsa from the weightless void of dreams.

Anna, her little sister, vanished to be replaced by the reality of Anna the polar bear. She felt the boat sway and dip as the bear moved. Suddenly Elsa gasped and stumbled to her feet. She brandished the harpoon, ready to defend herself. Or was she? Drowsiness, hazy vision and an empty stomach would be her undoing if Anna lunged at her now.

But the polar bear made no such move. Instead it leaned over the rails, its great neck outstretched and shoulders hunched. Confused, Elsa followed its eyes. She was taken aback to see fish swimming below.

'Is Anna getting into the water? But why so soon?' Elsa frowned as she tried to think. 'Polar bears usually eat seals, which are much richer and heavier than fish. Maybe the fish wasn't enough to satisfy Anna. It's like a snack, and Anna needs to go back in for a second helping...to really get a proper meal...'

Whatever the reason, Elsa was glad that she didn't have to wait too long for the bear to get food. She let out a weak sigh of relief and lowered the spear.

She sat back (and held on tight to the rails) as Anna plunged into the water with a solid-sounding splash. As a clumsy human raised in royalty and had no luck with catching fish, Elsa figured she might as well learn from a polar bear. She was glad that her abysmal attempts at catching fish didn't scare them all away. She was amazed at how such a heavy, lumbering animal on land could be so swift and graceful in water. Despite her weariness Elsa sat up, watching with interest. It occurred to her that she hadn't been around the last time Anna had caught fish. They weren't fast enough to escape the bear's snapping jaws or powerful paws. Predator and prey alike churned the water into a frothing boil. Anna would either fling or swat fish onto the boat.

Elsa cried out as she ducked and narrowly avoided getting hit by an incoming fish. A smile broke out on her face and she laughed. "Watch it, Anna. That almost hit me in the face." Elsa moved out of the way to let Anna's catches fall in. The bottom of the boat soon became alive with flopping, gasping fish. She found that she could not stop her strange, almost delirious mirth. Seeing all this fish brought tears to her eyes. She laughed until she could no longer stand. She hunched over and clutched her stomach, out of breath and her sides sore.

'Food...yes, food. I get to eat. I get to live.'

With Anna busy in the water, Elsa took advantage of this opportunity. With the blunt end of the spear, she prodded some fish over to her side.

"I hope you don't mind sharing," she muttered.

She heard a thump on the hull as Anna's body bumped against the boat.

'Anna caught fish for both of us, whether it realizes that or not. Might as well help it back in.'

Hunger drained much of the strength in Elsa's legs. She almost fell back twice in her attempt to stand. Still, she managed to use the spear and help Anna back onto the boat, just as she had the first time she met the bear. Anna climbed back on and went straight for its catch, without stopping to give Elsa even a hint of appreciation. She didn't expect it, anyway. Despite the name she gave it, the bear was only an animal, after all.

Elsa tried to find a fish big enough for her appetite, but not too big to be unmanageable. Especially for her first time. She found one the size of her forearm. Not too big and not too small. With trembling hands, she picked it up. She tried to hold on to the dying fish as firmly as she could. It felt unsavory and slippery in her grip. Its gills flapped under her fingers, like little doors prying open in vain to suck in precious seconds of life before she'd have to snuff it out. Elsa bit down hard on her lip; it was all she could do not to scream like a little girl and hurl it away from her. With the bear chewing on fish at one end of the boat, Elsa settled down at the other end. She nervously looked down at the fish, her happiness quickly fading away as she faced what she would have to do next. 'I have to kill it first, before I can eat it.'

Killing and eating...Elsa wasn't sure which one would be the worst of the two.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Clutching the fish by its tail, she threw it against the inside of the boat's railing. Her stomach clenched at hearing a sickening, meaty crack. Only the ravenous desire to eat, and survive, drove her onward. She slammed the fish down again and again until she felt sure she had killed it.

The breath she didn't know she had been holding came out of her mouth in a shuddering sigh. 'I did it...now I need to make the cut.'

Pinning the fish down with one hand, Elsa drew out a skinning knife with the other. She was sorely tempted to look away as soon as she plunged the knife down. But she had to suck it up and see where she was cutting, otherwise a careless stroke would take off her fingers. Elsa struggled to steady her hand as she pressed the knife in, feeling the slick, scaly skin give way.

'Don't get scared. It's already dead.'

Still, fear and repulsion made her hand shake. She made a long, sloppily uneven slit down the fish's pale belly. To her horror, the fish began to ice over.

'No no no no, don't freeze-!'

Too late. The knife got stuck before she could finish her cut. She pulled and jabbed, but the fish was much too hard and stiff for her to penetrate. Out of frustration, Elsa threw the frozen fish away from her. It flew across to land close to Anna. The bear smacked at it and craned its large neck down. Its jaws snapped on the limp fish, its powerful teeth paying no heed to the ice.

Elsa would've given up if not for her dire need for food. She heaved a great sigh and rummaged through her side of the boat for another fresh fish.

'Perfect,' she thought wryly. 'I have to kill this one too.'

Elsa couldn't help but feel like a heartless monster as she killed a fish again, this time with more force and experience. The wood of the boat resounded with a hollow thump as she pinned down the fish.

Her knife cut through without hesitation. She dug her thumbs into the slit and pried the fish open. Her stomach turned over at the sight of blood-soaked innards unraveling from the cut. Her gloves quickly got dirty as she pulled out whatever looked bloated or bunched in fleshy, unappetizing coils. Elsa felt the bile rise in her throat. For a moment she wondered if her face looked as pale as the fish.

'Fillets...I have to go for the fillets.'

With the knife she sawed off the skin and pried out the fillets. Or whatever looked remotely like what she ate back in Arendelle. She frowned as she held the slivers of meat between her fingers. Steeling herself and consciously clenching her gut, Elsa shut her eyes and sank her teeth into the meat. Raw fish wasn't as bad as she thought. Or maybe she was simply so hungry that she could care less about the taste. Evenly divided by many streaks of fat, the meat was easy to tear apart. She fought the urge to vomit and valiantly swallowed the morsels. Forks and knives were nowhere in sight; her bare hands would have to do. In this matter of life and death, Elsa had no time to be the perfect princess.

She did, however, have enough daintiness left in her to pick out tiny bones. The last thing she wanted was to meet her demise at sea from a couple of bones caught in her throat. Looking at the botched fish and grimy fish parts all over her hands, Elsa felt truly grateful for the palace chefs, and gained newfound respect for fishmongers who did this for a living. Her parents had always taught her to show politeness and gratitude for those who served them. At the dinner table, Elsa never failed to thank the servants and send her regards to the chefs. She meant it, of course. But growing up in a castle all her life, she never really _knew_. Now she sat alone on a boat, with a taste of what it was like to toil just to serve herself, never mind others. It was a humbling experience, to say the least. And quite frightening too. The guilt over killing a living creature began to pale in comparison to the pride of catching her own food, and the refreshing satisfaction of her sated appetite.

Elsa grinned widely to herself. 'I did it. I cut and ate my very first fish.'

A crude job she did, nonetheless she managed to get it done.

She stared at her hands, wrinkling her nose as she got a whiff of the pungent odor. After she finished eating, Elsa pulled off her dirty gloves and rigorously rinsed them in seawater. Like limp bright ribbons, they looked useless in the water as they had when she wore them. Elsa frowned at that.

'Father told me they would help. But my fear still seeped through. Even with gloves, I couldn't stop the fish from getting iced.'

Until now, she used to believe that the gloves were complete restraints of her powers. She had come to think of them as magical solutions to her magical problem. But in the end, the gloves were just gloves. Still, she wasn't ready to throw them away just yet.

'They are a last remnant of my parents,' she thought with an ache in her heart.

Elsa shook them dry, then slipped them back into her hands. She watched as the bear crushed its own fish to death with a simple swat of its huge paw. It craned its head down to gnaw at the mess without discrimination. Its tongue rasped over the wood, licking up fish blood and all. Her stomach twinged a bit, out of mixed repulsion and envy.

"I wish I had your strength, Anna. I'm going to need it."

At least she didn't have to worry over eating fish that spoiled. Everything Anna caught was fresh and straight out of the icy waters. They could stay on the boat for days on end; the frigid air and lack of humidity helped to keep the fish from rotting. Sometimes Elsa was so hungry that she'd neglect to make sure it died before she made the cut. She went straight for slitting it open to reach the prized meat inside. The first time she did this, she nearly jumped back and screamed as the body twitched. Sometimes, even after the fish had died, nerves made their bodies jump and twitch, scaring the living daylights out of the young princess. Elsa would come to push her fear aside and bravely continue what she needed to do to survive.

Dead or alive, fish still gave her that horrible, glassy-eyed stare. She would never forget the way the first one had gaped and gasped as she cut into its belly. From then on, Elsa made sure to hack off the head and ditch it as soon as she caught the fish. Or better yet, she'd give the heads to Anna. Elsa needed to keep the huge bear distracted, never giving it the chance to even consider getting a taste of human flesh. Sooner or later, she'd have to tame the beast.

'I am a princess of Arendelle...I must take control.'

Elsa stood up to her full height, staring down at Anna as it still gnawed at its catch.

Eating had renewed Elsa's strength, so her voice carried out with strong, commanding resonance. "All right, Anna. Listen up. We need to lay down a few rules." Anna grunted and looked up. Elsa spread out her arms. "This boat is my kingdom. It's not Arendelle...but it'll do. I'm grateful for this vessel, however small it is. It saved my life, after all." She put a hand over her chest. "And I am its queen. By my mercy you've been granted some of my land." With the harpoon she gestured to the uneaten fish before them. "It looks like we've made a mutual agreement on commerce and supplies. I thank you for providing it for the time being...until I can get food on my own, it would be wise of me to learn from you, my subject, the artisan whose trade I must learn and master. My father always said that a good ruler can only be so when she can learn from her people." Her eyes briefly hardened so that they glinted like cold chips of ice. "There must be order in this kingdom, and I will not tolerate the reign of disorder. If you raise a tooth or claw at me, you'll be exiled from this kingdom. Understood?"

Anna stared for a few seconds, then lowered its head to return to eating.

With a resounding thump, Elsa planted the spear firmly down on the boat and rose her voice. "Anna! It's rude to ignore me. Do you understand?"

The bear belted out a short roar, almost with a begrudging tone. It bristled with irritation, but thankfully didn't rise to its feet.

Elsa sighed. She didn't mean to sound like a dictator with sharp words of iron. "Good. I don't want to fight you, okay?" Her voice wavered, the royal facade falling away and revealing her true self within. "I'm not really a queen...I'm just an 18 year old princess who may never see her home or only family again. We're queen and subject, but we're sisters too. And sisters shouldn't fight. We share the same boat...we might as well try to get along, try to understand each other." She tilted her head back to look up, then around. "A kingdom of isolation..." she murmured. "Looks like I'm the queen..."

For 13 years she learned how to live alone. Elsa believed she could put up with it for a little while longer...however long it took for her either to reach land and reunite with Anna her sister, or perish at sea with Anna the polar bear.


End file.
